London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough.
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48
Whooping-Cough.
During 1929 there were 824 cases of Whooping-Cough notified
under the Battersea (Measles and Whooping-Cough) Regulations,
1922, to the Medical Officer of Health and 493 additional cases were
reported from the public elementary schools and other sources.
This disease assumed epidemic prevalence in London during
1929, and the mortality rate (2.6 per 1,000 of the population)
was high, there being 1,141 deaths as compared with 405 in the
previous year. The mortality rate of 2.6 has not been exceeded
since 1918.
In Battersea there were 43 deaths registered from this disease,
the death-rate being 0.266 as compared with 14 deaths and a deathrate
of 0-085 in 1928, 15 deaths and a death-rate of 0 09 in 1927,
13 deaths and a death-rate of 0-08 in 1926, and 20 deaths and a
death-rate of 0.12 in 1925.
The total number of cases notified or otherwise reported during
1929 was 1,317 as compared with 1,228 in 1928, 749 in 1927, 1,210
in 1926, and 1,320 in 1925, the increase in 1929 compared with
1928 being 7.2 per cent.
The age distribution of the 1,317 cases notified or otherwise reported, and the deaths and case-mortality are shewn in the following table:—
| Age (Years). | Total Cases. | Deaths. | Case Mortality (per cent.) |
| 0-1 | 126 | 15 | 11.9 |
| 1-2 | 167 | 12 | 7.2 |
| 2-3 | 184 | 7 | 3.8 |
| 3-4 | 181 | 4 | 2.2 |
| 4-5 | 175 | 3 | 1.7 |
| 5 up | 484 | 2 | 0.4 |
| 1,317 | 43 | 3.3 |
The disease, with measles, was made compulsorily notifiable
in Battersea in 1922, and having regard to the epidemic prevalence
of the disease during 1929, special precautionary measures were
taken in view of the danger to life in the case of younger children.
TUBERCULOSIS.
During 1929 there were 330 cases of Tuberculosis (all forms)
notified in Battersea as compared with 301 in 1928, 308 in 1927,
344 in 1926, and 335 in 1925.